Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-24

easily counterfeited. Until Treasurer Jordan's
| time the notes were completed at the Bureau OF
bers are added at the treasurer's once and there
too, the four notes ON each sheet are cut anu
separated AZ the plate. printers nnish tnss M0rk
who makes the proper tally.
RETURNING TEE PLATES.
when the dayS work 10 done the printer returns
his plate to the custodian, who has desk In one
corner Of ths room. In the morning when the
printer gets a plate he gives check bearing his
| number. The custodian has q rack Of little hooks
| on which he hangs these checks When the pnn-
and he gives the custodian the key OF bis press,
which ID hung on the hook In place OF the check.
IL %as nave s
the chief Of the bureau, is introducing, Is the
electric lights. Although The building II well pro.
yided with windows the printers at work .!
suficient on days when the sun is obscured. Gas
lights are Objectionable on account OF the intoer-
able heat made In connection with the gas-neaterA
TH. KxAAINIke DIVISION.
From the press-room the work goes down to the
examining room on the floor below. Here the
sheets are subjected TO series OF counts and az
| aminstions. The first examiners throw out every
sheet In which they discover any tmperfectton.
These rejected sheets are again examined oy
another set OF examiners who retain all the sheets
that will pass liberal Inspection or that can be
made presentable by little touching up. The
damp and Afr the irst count they are turned
over TO man In charge or the drying racks. Each
package has to have on II, In addition 10 the name
Of the printer and the various counters through
whose hands 1t has passed. the initial made with
red pencil OF the person who calls out TO another per-
son keeping the books the name OF the printer and
the number OF sheets IN the package. II thisinital
Is not on the package the rack man Will not receive
it. This is precaotion adopted 70 make sure that
When the drying racks are filled they are rolled
into drying room. an apartment where the tenn.
ksf s e. ns
under lock and key, and closely guarded Inc
next day they are brought out again and again
printer is kept by itself. Now the packages, hi.v-
Ing been examined, are broken up and re-sor .ed
Into new packases OF the required number Ih 4,
molstening. 10 cure this they are SUBJECTED 10
hydraulic pressure, and come out as smooth IS
silk. From this examining division the Treasury
and bank notes. four on a sheet go TO room
where women are operating machines that trim
the edges or margins OF the sheet.
PERFoRATIFG STAMPS.
Revenue stamps 60 to an apartment In the base
ment, where girls are at work with perfora ting
machines The sheets are passed rapidly under a
roller, and come out with the perforated lines
that enable the stamps 70 be easily separated one
from anOtuer. The revenue stamps after being
Sheets each and delivered to the ONCE Of the Com
missioner Of Internal Revenue Last summer the
meet the demand Each stamp represented
package of cigarettes. Tue number, however,
has for some reason fallen Oh. The bureau. too.
can tell when the great American throat thtrsts
for beer by the increase Ia the demand for beer
stamps.
In one division Of the bureau numbering ma
chimes are at work operated by women. These
machines rapidly print numbers Oh checks or
stamps requiring consecutive numbers: There Is
stamp by which the types changed automatically
so the numbers come out In consecutive Q. der.
Attached to the bureau also Is = small building
where certain revenue stamps and forms OF Treas
ury checks or drafts are bound IN volumes or con-
venient size. In the basement are number OF
ordinary Hoe presses, Tor the bureau has consider
able printing OF the ordinary chara ter to do some
OF this printing Is done from plates engraved In re-
lief. The number OF banks, printed on the back OF
bank notes, is printed In this way ON common
press.
THE ENGRAVING DIVISION.
A division OF the bureau that most visitors are
Interested In IL that on the main floor where the
engravers are at work. This is q lars e and we'll
lighted apartment. quiet reigns here that seems
two In the din and rattle OF the press-roOms BY
each window Is q large ground-glass shade and
sitting beneath 1t In little stall Is an engrayer
IL one is permitted To look over the shoulder the
engraver he Will see him with BURN In hand bend
ing over small plate OF steel cutting out the fine
lines and dots that grow at last into dellcatey-
shaded picture One Is engaged on portraits, an
other on vgnettes, and others upon Jefferson nu-
merals, anu designs Of different kinds. The work Of
the design or q bank note, stamp, bond or other
paper issued py the Government upon which the
engravers skin may be employed: Noone engraver
makes the entire design or executes all the work
on q note. When design has been agreed upon
1t is necessary TO bring the different parts together
ON one plate. THIS IL done BY process OF trans
rering from plate 70 roll and roll 70 plate until ali
the parts are arranged In symmetrical order upon
plate The nat piece OF steel upon which the
hardened as steel tools are tempered and hardened
roll OF soft steel Is then passed over this under
lief upon the roller The roller Is in turn hardened
ana passed over softened plate OF suit BILE size
which receives the design IN intaglio. This pre-
cess Is repeated until all the parts have been
transferred In their proper oruer TO one nat plate
From this plate roll can be obtained, having in
relief upon It's surface the whole design. This roll
being hardened can reproduce the design upon Hat
plates, In theory, at least often as may be de-
sired In practi % the reproductions gradually be-
come less sharply defined
AN UNERKING RN0RAvRR.
There Ia an engraver that works in a small room
adjoining that where the portrait and vignette
engravers sit. This engraver has muscles and
fingers Of steel, and instead Of brains has most
complicated but unerrtng mechanism. II never
that engraves the delicate web-iike patterns In
beautiful curves and undulatons like some fairy
lace work, which appear on the face Of notes sur
rounding the numersl representing the denomina-
tion OF the note. Each minute or loop is re-
peated by the machine In its regular order with q
rrayer With real brains crazy The little an n,s sn
upon which the design y etcbed is attached to
Movable bed that keeps II In motion beneath the
point OF hardened steel that cuts out the lines 1t
suit Of accident Ike the patterns appearing In a
the lathe told Tns stan reporter. is errpneous
One who knows the machine can make such COM
binations as he desires. The operator nrst puts
chine and works ON that until he has produced the
design he wants Then he Can adjust the machine
deemed